Bowling Green State University Athletics
Miami Outlasts EMU In 14-13 Slugfest
May 23, 2002 | Baseball
May 23, 2002
Box Score | 2002 MAC Tournament Page
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Miami University built a big lead and held off a furious Eastern Michigan University comeback for a 14-13 victory Thursday (May 23). The game, part of the Mid-American Conference Baseball Tournament, was held at Bowling Green's Steller Field.
With the win, the RedHawks (31-27) remain alive in the tournament, while the Eagles (30-28) are eliminated from the double-elimination tourney.
The teams combined for 11 homeruns in the slugfest, with Miami hitting a MAC Tournament-record seven. MU's Michael Carlin had four of those round-trippers, setting a school record and doubling the old tournament record of two. In fact, Carlin's four dingers in the game tied the individual mark for an entire tournament.
EMU got on the board first, with a third-inning run, but the RedHawks got four runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good. David Cook doubled to plate Nolan McCue with MU's first run, and Carlin then hit his first of four homers in as many at-bats, a three-run shot.
In the game, Carlin was 5-for-5 with the four homers, four runs scored and seven RBI. His hit, runs and RBI totals all tied the single-game MAC Tournament records. His final homer fo the game was his 19th of the year, setting a school seasonal record in that category.
The Eagles got a single run back in the top of the fourth, before the 'Hawks responded again. Miami plated seven runs in the bottom of the inning, with an Andi Scheidt grand slam and homers by Carlin (two-run HR) and Ryan Edginton (solo shot).
In the fifth frame, Miami got another round-tripper, a two-out blast off the bat of Cook, to take a 12-2 lead. But, the Eagles were not finished.
A three-run homer by the Eagles' Chad Jenkins capped a five-run sixth inning and brought EMU within 12-7. But, Carlin hit his third homer of the day in the bottom of the inning to give MU a six-run edge.
In the seventh inning, EMU's Ryan Goleski's single scored Tony Palazzolo, before Derrick Peterson's two-run homer narrowed the Miami lead to 13-10. Then, the Eagles got two more runs in the eighth to cut the lead to a single run. Brian Bixler hit a solo homer in that inning, setting an EMU freshman record with his 13th round-tripper of the year.
Carlin again went deep in the bottom of the eighth, to give the RedHawks a two-run edge heading into the ninth. EMU's Todd Kimling hit a one-out homer to bring the Eagles within a single run. MU reliever Adam Keel got pinch-hitter Jesse Cogswell to hit an infield popup. Then, Billy Keininger replaced Keel and induced Bixler to ground out and end the game.
Shawn Landis got the win for the RedHawks, improving to 8-0 on the year. He allowed 10 runs (nine earned) and 12 hits in six-and-a-third innings, walking two batters and fanning seven. Kieninger picked up his second save of the year.
EMU starter Tom Gallus (4-6) took the loss, allowing nine runs (eight earned) and nine hits in three-and-a-third innings.
In addition to Carlin's five hits, Cook and Sam Sellery each had three for the RedHawks, who outhit Eastern by an 18-17 count. Peterson and Ryan Ford had three hits apiece for the Eagles.
